You were nominated as a VIVmagnificent Woman! What do you have to say about it?

First of all I think it’s awesome! I met with the managing editor Nicole Gregory at an event and I think the magazine is beautiful! To be nominated is awesome. I’m very honored and impressed. I like that magazine’s demographic is 35 and older and I think there’s a lot of smart and powerful intellectual women a part of the age group and proud to be a part of it.

What is your current Job Position?

I’ve been a Beauty Expert for the last six-seven years. I also currently work with the NBC Today Show, contributing segments regularly.

Can you tell us how you got into the world of beauty?

It’s really funny, but when I was about four or five, I would steal my mother’s makeup. She was kind of a diva, and I would steal her make-up and walk around in her high heels and I would take her face cream, mascara, eye shadows and eyeliner and I was pretty obsessed with make-up and beauty. And when she started catching on to her things missing, I would bury them in the background before I gave them back to her. I mean, I would watch her put her lipstick on and was just so obsessed with it—I will never forget she had this tube of lipstick by Revlon, called ‘coffee bean’ or ‘cocoa bean.’  I’ve always been excited about make-up and beauty and now I get packages delivered everyday with new products and I just can’t wait to open then and dig into. It’s just never gotten old with me and I hope it never will.

What are three personality traits that you attribute to your success?

I would have to say that I’m always a multi-tasker –juggling multiple jobs at the same time has really helped with my career as I’m able to wake up in the morning for a celebrity, then in the afternoon go to an interview and then write column and then have a meeting later that night.  Positivity is absolutely necessary and it’s played a big role in keeping my head straight and keeping me on track.  And I’d also have to say that I build trust with my clients, and I’ve always remained honest and clear about things that I believe in. I let my customers know what I like or dislike because I’m not there just to get a client, and believe that’s what’s made me more trust-worthy with my clients.

How are you able to keep your life balanced between your career and your personal life?

I think that you have to make a choice, and I’ve made a choice to go head first into doing everything that I want to do and that I’ll have a personal life when I’m ready to have it. Don’t get me wrong, I have a great community of family and friends, and because of traveling for work I have friends everywhere, but I’m still young and I don’t think it’ll last forever.

Are you single or married?

I’m not married, but I’m in a relationship.

Do you have any special interests?

I work for Face the Future, which is a charity based in the University of Illinois. It’s just an incredible foundation that helps with children who were born with facial abnormalities and helps them get care completely free to them and their families. I participated in the annual gala last year and I intend on being more active this year. It truly humbles you to see these children and these doctors. I also sit on the CVS Beauty Club Advisory Board which is an incredible opportunity where I can sit back and I answer questions from anything to acne to helping women learn how to handle mascara, basically anything and everything.

What are some of your favorite things to do outside of work and your other duties?

Cook. I don’t follow recipes, but I like to randomly cook and I’m pretty good at it. It’s one of the things I do and I don’t think about anything else when I’m doing it. It’s a nice little evacuation from the day. I like to run, which I think is when most of my business decisions happen, because my head is clearer and I can see things clearly. And I just absolutely one-hundred percent live for my niece and nephew, so if there’s a way I can get to my home town to see them, I see them.

What are some of your favorites?

One of my favorite movies is Annie Hall. It just makes me laugh every time I watch it. My favorite color right now is that deep Mediterranean blue (that’s dark but pops). My favorite place to visit is home (in Tampa, FL.) and Costa Rica, but if I have to pick between the two I’d pick home.

What legacy would you like to leave behind?

I would say that what would be important to me would be that I made the right decisions and trying to do what’s best and kindest to everyone. I would want to be remembered as someone who was always a positive person that laughed a lot. If anyone asked “Who Mickey Williams was?” I’d want them to say “Herself.” And that I was very positive and I was a genuine hard-worker. I’ve already achieved basically all that I wanted to achieve, so I don’t think I really need much else.

What advice would you give to a person interested in your field and/or taking your career path?
I would say to be positive and to not let others influence your decisions. Don’t let someone else’ negativity bring down your negativity and if you want something, it won’t be easy. You’re going to have to immerse yourself into every aspect in to what you want to do to be considered a credible expert so you’re going to have to explore everything and give 125% towards it. A lot times, there will be easier routes and you’ll want to say ok, but if you want to be true to yourself, you’re going to have to say no and take that road that is a better travel route for you that’ll give you more experience and knowledge.

What’s one thing you think would make the world a better place?

I think that tolerance is necessary to get along well with others. I think people need to take a step back and to be aware of their surroundings, the good and the bad, and what’s going on in the world, but at the same time not to be blind and tolerant. Arming yourself with knowledge is something that a lot of people are lacking and so I think that people should be intelligently tolerant would make the world a bit better for everyone.